The Stronger by August Strindberg is a play that is filled with irony. One of the first things noticed in this play is that the characters have no names, nor are they labeled by any type of status. Rather than having names like most plays, the two characters are differentiated by the letters "X" and "Y." Another ironic thing about this play, is how it is written; the dialogue of the play is not evenly spoken. Instead of the two characters conversing between one another, the play is written almost like a monologue where only Mrs. X speaks. Because Mrs. X is the only speaker, one would think that she is "the stronger," but ironically, she is not.
One reason Mrs. X is not thought to be the stronger is that she goes back to her husband after she concludes that an affair had existed ironically thinking that the affair will not disable her marriage. The play implies that Mrs. X believes that the affair has and will somehow continue to make her marriage stronger. She says, "that only gave me a stronger hold on my husband," but actually her knowledge of the affair will eventually weaken the relationship. Knowing that her trust has been abused will normally cause her to question her husband's devotion: Were there other affairs? Is he cheating now? If so, is she someone I know? If not, will he cheat again? These are possible questions that will remain unanswered because Mrs. X has no intention of confronting her husband. This is a fact because in the last line of the play Mrs. X says, "Now I am going home - to love him." This quote also makes it seem like she is going home to live her normal life as if the affair never occurred, but making herself believe that it has disappeared will not solve anything. She believes th...
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...would one put oneself in the situation to be vulnerable to such false mentality? It is because emotionally Mrs. X is weak, so to protect herself from any pain, she thinks of a way to logically persuade her mind and her emotions that she is the stronger, but she is not.
Mrs. X can not be the stronger because Miss Y clearly shows more strength by saying nothing. Miss Y shows this strength by simply sitting there enduring Mrs. X's accusations and abuse. She sat there and faced it all when she could have easily matched Mrs. X's actions. Miss Y could have refused to listen to Mrs. X's accusations, or she could have made a scene by responding to Mrs. X's abuse. Instead of showing signs weakness, Miss Y chose to say nothing because there really was nothing that could be said to make the situation any better. By choosing to do so, Miss Y proves that she is the stronger.
broken. She has enough strength to say "No" and to leave him by running away
...thus comparing uses the tale of Lot's Wife to attach importance to the story of a mother and her siblings in the "Hold Tight” by using the notion that the dying woman is not someone that one ought to feel pity upon, but that is a woman one ought to say, yes this is the most remarkable woman with exceptional strength to cope with life’s stresses and difficulties. Difficulties that would give in the end miseries for the ones that are left behind, but even so, the strength, that would one day hold tight the grievances and expand the courage to live. References Bloom, Amy. "Hold Tight." The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Meyer, Michael. Boston: 2002. 650-654. Ahkmatova, Anna. "Lot's Wife." The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Meyer, Michael. Boston: 2002. 1198 ~ Work cited available at http://www.superioressays.com/DisplayPaper.php?PaperID=7, Accessed 21/06/03
woman hides the pain because she knows that any sign of weakness might get her in
him, she was not strong enough before but now it is she that needs him.
...y is important. But the most important thing to note is that the weaker of the two did change her attitudes, beliefs and actions in order to become a better wife for her husband. Both women seem to be happy as do the men and like most conclusions of Shakespeare's plays, all the loose ends are tied up.
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "dramatic irony (literature)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. .
The actress states, “There’s got to be more to this marriage than a few hastily scribbled words on a small square of pastel paper! By the way. We’re out of post-its,” (Dooley and Holzman, 852). This results in the audience to question the actress’s goal of fixing the relationship with her husband, because the audience understands that she is unhappy with how they communicate, yet still asks for more of the basis of the communicative ways they do now, seeing no end to the repetitive cycle (Dooley and Holzman, 852). It is clear that the conversations between the two characters make the audience questionable of the character’s relationship in many ways.
On March 1st, 1932 in a crime that captured the attention of the entire nation, Charles Lindbergh III, was kidnapped from his family’s mansion in Hopewell, New Jersey. Charles Lindbergh III was the 20-month-old son of aviation hero Charles Lindbergh and his wife, Anne. Charles Lindbergh, who became an international celebrity after he flew the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, and his wife Anne discovered a handwritten ransom note demanding $50,000 in their son’s empty room. The so-called “nursery note” bore a symbol or logo consisting of three interlocking circles and three small holes, which would later become a distinguishable feature in future extortion letters sent by opportunists trying to cash in on the crime.
...rson and he knows that she will take care of the little guy even if the Guy is not around. A distort desire to be free of the situation drive the whole family into tragedy and leave them grieves
The "first wives" decide to take action against their ex-husbands and seek revenge for both material and egotistical reasons. The women had been friends through college, and continue to be a source of constant support for one another even now. Upon learning that a close friend from college had committed suicide because of her first husband, they decide to stop feeling sorry for themselves and do something about what's been going on.
The narrator cannot be the antagonist because no matter how much the wallpaper bothers her, she still knows the difference between right and wrong, “To jump out of the window would be admirable exercise, but the bars are too strong even to try. Besides, I wouldn 't do it. Of course not. I know well enough that a step like that is improper and might be misconstrued” (656). The narrator admits that she has suicidal thoughts because of how much the wallpaper bothers her, but knows that suicide is not the answer, and may be confusing for her loved ones. The narrator’s loved ones would be confused if she committed suicide since they believe she is getting better. The narrator proves her determination to get better when, she claims, “I wish I could get well faster” (649). When the narrator states that she wishes to be better she, is proving that she is motivated to get back to her daily routine. The narrator also knows how much John struggles with his wife not being well that she wants to get better for him. In addition, the narrator declares, “…for my sake and for our child 's sake, as well as for your own…” (652). When the narrator discloses that she wants to get better for John and the baby she reveals what her motivation is to get better, even though the narrator is struggling with the wallpaper she is still continuing to try and get better for John and her newborn
The desire to be the best, to be dominant among a group of people can reveal a character’s deepest fears or weaknesses. To be great requires a certain personality, but is it not always easy to come out on top. In the play “A Doll’s House”, by Henrik Ibsen, there are multiple endeavors for dominance. Torvald battles Krogstad over being the most successful; driven by money and a power hungry ego, this conflict reveals more about both men’s personalities. Consequently, their struggle unveils Nora’s fight to be independent and depart from society’s norms.
The narrator is being completely controlled by her husband. The narrator's husband has told the her over and over again that she is sick. She sees this as control because she cannot tell him differently. He is a physician so he knows these things. She also has a brother who is a physician, and he says the same thing. In the beginning of the story, she is like a child taking orders from a parent. Whatever these male doctors say must be true. The narrator says, "personally, I disagree with their ideas" (480), and it is clear she does not want to accept their theories but has no other choice. She is controlled by her husband.
This play shows the importance of the staging, gestures, and props making the atmosphere of a play. Without the development of these things through directions from the author, the whole point of the play will be missed. The dialog in this play only complements the unspoken. Words definitely do not tell the whole story.
Finally, throughout the play, gender inequality and the battle of sexes are explored to the degree that these were the responsible factors for Miss Julie’s naturalistic fate, even though the battle of classes is a recurring theme throughout the play. Leading up to Miss Julie’s downfall, Strindberg successfully manages to avoid the topic of suicide ‘it’s terrible, but there’s no other way. Go’ but instead subtly suggests it through Jeans subliminal messages. Miss Julie was first entitled ‘The First Naturalistic Tragedy’ providing evidence that Miss Julie’s fate was a direct result of the environment around her: a typical anti-feminist zone full of gender inequality. Miss Julie goes well beyond the naturalistic struggle between the sexes that Strindberg wanted to portray.